MrsSugarbabe

Congratulations!!! What a wonderful achievement!!! Multiple benefits I'm 6 months out and stuck at about 60 lbs. lost for a few weeks now. I keep working "my program" and know the scale will move eventually; the number of inches lost continue to increase because I can tell how my clothes are fitting. Even the new clothes have been getting looser more quickly. Love that feeling!!

You're on your way!!! Congratulations!!!

Here we go!!!!!

I'll have to check these out. I like to keep a variety of things at work to avoid the pitfalls that live around here. Thanks for the suggestion!

You are on the right track!!! Keep that positive outlook and keep doing what your surgeon and NUT tell you to do. This is for LIFE!!! Literally and figuratively

In addition to the above suggestions, I would suggest you pull out your instructions that you followed early in your post-op weeks and use those as your guidelines for now. Hopefully, re-reading them will help you to refocus yourself so that you don't fall back into any more old (bad) habits. You've come too far to give up the ground you've covered. Good luck in all things!! I've been laid off before, too, so I know how that feels. I will pray that your job needs are met soon.

Most of my tummy rumbles happen after eating or drinking, although it has been known to fumble, gurgle, etc. at anytime. It sounds weird, but I figure it's just a fact of life at this point.

I'm right at 6 mos. post-op and still haven't tried fish or popcorn yet. My new tummy has been tolerating everything else I've eaten rather well, as long as I don't eat too fast or too much. Slow and easy and really small bites chewed well are still the way to go. Wish I had some ideas for you for cooking your fish. My only thought is to not eat it for awhile and see if your taste buds accept it better down the road. And maybe eat canned tuna instead. Good luck! I'm sure someone out there will have some ideas for you.

Lots of good advice above. Depending on your surgeon's/NUT's food plan for your liquid phase, the only thing I would add is to drink a Protein shake before you leave home and take one with you to drink at the gathering. If you are allowed soft foods when an event rolls around, plan ahead and take what you can eat with you so you can stay on plan. If most of the folks attending these events don't know you've had WLS, they still don't have to know just because you're drinking your meal. Good luck!!! And......CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I'm with @@Djmohr and @joatsaint. For tracking purposes, I use the weight on my home scale as my "official" weight; however, I do note on my calendar my weight when weighed at my surgeon's or PCP's office. I was instructed to weigh daily which I do, and since I know my weight fluctuates daily due to Water retention, it doesn't frustrate me.

Settle in for the long haul and more compliments to come The compliments are going to continue...... @Bashlee. A long time ago, when someone complimented me on anything, I learned just to say "thank you" and nothing else. I was in the habit of following "thank you" with some comment that basically discounted their compliment. A friend called me on the carpet about it and so I started changing my response to a simple "thank you." Now, if someone asks specifically about my weight loss, I'm happy to share my experience with them; if not, I don't offer any explanation.

Awesome! Congratulations!!!

Congratulations on taking a great first step to retraining yourself even before you have your surgery!!! Agree with @@CanyonBaby, @Bashlee, @@Djmohr, @@Casey235 and others - all the way up this thread!! Too much food, or eating too quickly, or not chewing food sufficiently can cause some intense discomfort when you eat. Once in awhile I get carried away and eat too much too fast, usually when my food is really hot and tastes so good to me, and have to stop eating for 15-30 mins. until the discomfort subsides. Huge reminder to do what I'm supposed to do all the time

I'm with @@CanyonBaby and her first post. I don't mind grocery shopping at all and have always read labels. It will get better once you've had your surgery. It's like you've been set free from the bondage of food because you can't eat nearly as much, therefore, you're pickier about what you choose to eat at meal times and Snacks if they're a part of your day. Good luck!!! Enjoy your journey!!! It is for a lifetime.

Welcome back!! Great first step! Reading various BP posts helps keep me focused and on track. I agree with @JamieLogical. I hope you will find the same strength and motivation!

One of my favorites for lunch at work.....black Beans simmered with some cooked Jimmy Dean sausage, petite diced tomatoes, onions, green pepper, cumin, bay leaf - any other seasonings you like. A half cup is very filling and a perfectly sized lunch for me. Very flavorful, too! I keep several 1/2 cup servings in the freezer at work so that I'm not caught without something for lunch; too many temptations in the hospital cafeteria (where I work the food there is pretty darn good!). I've noticed that since my surgery, I want highly seasoned food more than not. It doesn't have to be spicy, although I love my spicy favorites, but I do want lots of flavor.

I'm enjoying my Planet Fitness membership and workouts. I stop on my way home from work and work out at least 30 mins. I got the membership that includes access to the circuit training area for the days I want to work out, but not have to "think" about all the reps, etc. Also, I've not had a problem getting access to any of the equipment when I wanted to workout in the main room either on elliptical, recumbent bike, weight machines, treadmill, etc. The Y has a center across the street, but the rooms were so small and claustrophobic feeling, and it doesn't have a pool, I decided PF was a better fit for me. When I joined, I was still recovering from complications that set in several days after my surgery and put me back in the hospital for another 13 days plus 6 more for inpatient rehab, so I needed to regain some strength and energy back before I could really get going with a more intensive workout routine. After a month of outpatient physical therapy, I joined PF. The circuit training area was what I really wanted and it helped a great deal. In addition to my gym workouts, I walk 30 minutes on my lunch break at work more days than not.

Love my beef jerky!!! Simms brand from Aldi's. Also, cheese sticks, low fat, small curd cottage cheese, boiled eggs, nuts-mostly cashews, my own pre-made unjury Protein shake, Peanut Butter, Fit & Active Protein Bar (chocolate peanut butter) from Aldi's, and sometimes fresh fruit. Just got some fresh picked strawberries from a farm in Chesnee, SC, that are amazing!!!! Since my new tummy doesn't hold much, I can't over do it with the fruit; still mainly protein for Snacks (only way I can meet daily protein goal).

205

@Bashlee -- Loved your story!! Love your jumpsuit! It looks fabulous on you!!! I've been trying not to buy too much while still in the losing phase, but it's hard to resist when you come upon a good or great deal, right?? I stopped at Walmart last night to look for some properly fitting jeans for this weekend and came home with several pairs of casual and workout capris, the jeans I was looking for, and several tops. Good grief!! Not to mention that night before last I went to buy A pair of black flats for work, which I found and purchased, but then proceeded to another store and came home with 3 tops for work. So much for not buying too much while still in the losing phase, right? Hey, we need to keep those consignment shops in business later on.......LOL!!

Sounds yummy!! Thanks for posting/sharing! I'll have to try this recipe. I love chicken salad.

One of my liquid pre-op options I enjoyed was the

Reading a fictional novel and digging in the dirt a bit are two of my go to activities. I LOVE being outside when it's warm enough and being sunny is even better. Also, downloading pics off my camera onto my PC and/or Facebook to share. Since going to the gym a few times a week is part of my regular routine, I don't count it as a go to activity. Also, tracking my food intake each day is somewhat a deterrent to not eating things I shouldn't (most of the time ).

For some immediate relief until you get your PPI, try Tums. I have had to chew a couple tablets a couple of times after eating either too much or too fast and ended up with heartburn. The Tums worked very quickly to give me relief. Sometimes one bite can be one bite too many and can make you feel miserable for about 30 minutes or so. Living and learning with our new tummies

I will be interested to hear what your doctor says about taking it during your pre-op period. Phentermine helped me to lost 50 lbs. several years ago. Even after losing that 50 lbs. I continued taking the drug. I switched PCPs a couple years ago and the first thing he had me do was to quite taking the phentermine because I had been on it too long and because of the risks of long term use. I managed to maintain the weight loss on my own. Because of these risks, it never occurred to me to ask about taking it during pre-op, probably because I wasn't required to lose weight before surgery aside from what weight is lost due to being on a liquid diet 2 weeks prior to surgery.